Brevard officials and scientists say Save Our Indian River Lagoon program shows measurable progress, urge voters to consider renewal

Virginia Barker, director of Brevard County’s Natural Resources Management Department, told a Titusville workshop the Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SORL) program has moved from planning and permitting into widescale project delivery, reporting that the county is managing over $330 million in projects in design, permitting or construction and has a combined $431 million in funds spent or in progress under the program. Barker described the program’s “four R’s” — reduce, remove, restore and respond — and said the program prioritizes projects by measured pollution load and cost‑effectiveness.

“The dollars are roughly for the 4 R’s…over half of the money is going to reducing the pollution that’s coming into the lagoon,” Barker said, adding that more than 119 projects have been completed and roughly 400 projects remain in the…